Automobile-signal.



C. F; GROMANN.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL. APPLlcATloN FILED-MAY x2. 1915.

l ,243,5 1 O Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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CARL FREDEEICH GROMANN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMOBILE-SIGNAL Specification of Letters Patent.

atented Oct. 16, 1917.

Application led May 12, 1915. Serial No. 27,488.

To ad whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, CARL FREDERIGH Gno- MANN, a subject of the Empire of Germany, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Autoinobile-Signals, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to an automobile signal. ts organization comprises a casing Ywith a rotative reflector, that carries an annular opaque disk with transparent letters and arrows. A door with an opening is provided for the casing. Means are provided to rotatethe refiector and its disk in various positions opposite the opening in the door, so that various signals depicted on the disk can be easily observed at the rear end of an automobile.` The door is provided with an opening for an opaque slide with transparent numbers and letters which latter are at all'times visible.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 shows a side view of the invention attached to an automobile; Fig. 2 shows an enlarged fragmentary portion of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 represen-ts .a fragmentary portion of Fig. l, Fig. 4 is a right hand view of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 represents -a front elevation of the invention, Fig. 6 is a right hand side view of Fig. 5; Fig. 7'

shows a view similar to Fig. 5 with a portion removed; Fig. 8 is a section of Fig. 5 on the line 8, v8, Fig. 9 represents a section as on the line 9, 9, of Fig. 5; and Fig. 10 shows an enlarged section of Fig. 8 as on the line 1o, 10.

Au automobile is shown having the body portion '20, with the wheels 22, steering column 24 and steering wheel 25. A sector shaped support 30 having the ratchet teeth 31 is fastened to the steering column 24. A hand lever 32 having the spring actuated stop33 attached thereto is pivoted to the sector shaped support 30. The spring actuated stop 33 is located to engage the ratchet teeth 31 of the support 30. A pulley 34 is pivoted in the support 30. A pipev 35 is 'fastened to the steering column 24 anda 5o. A am 51 with the' opening 52, and.

bulged portion 53, having the open1ng'54 and guide bracket 55, is hinged to the front of said casing. Knobs 56 extend lfrornsaid door 51. Spring catches 57 extend from one of the side walls 46 to lock the door 51 in place when in its closed position.

A removable opaque slide 60 with transparent numbers 61 and letters 62 is carried on the door 51 and is engaged by the guide bracket 55.

inclined refiectors 65 are-secured in the bulged portion 53 of the door 51.

A bracket 66 is secured to the rear wall 50 and hasformed therewith the journal bearings 67 and 68. A sleeve 71 is journaled in geo disk 76 with the transparent letters 77 and transparent arrows 78 and 79, is fastened to the said concaved reiiector 75. 82 extends through the sleeve 71 with one end fastened to the rear wall 50. A bracket 83 is fastened to the other end of the conduit 82. An electric bulb 85 is supported on the bracket 83 in front of the reiector 75. A wire 86 for electric current extends through the conduit 82 for the electric bulb 85.

A spindle 88 is journaled in the journal bearing 68 and has fastened at one end thereofthe bevel gear 89 having formed therewith the tubular portion 90. A spring 91 has one end fastened in the tubular portion 90. A

pin 92 extends from the journal bearing 68 the other end is fastened to the hand lever 32.

A conduit To the lower face of the bottom 49 of the f casing is attached a signal bell 100 and to thev sector shaped support 30 is fastened the electric push button 101. Wiring 102 connects the push button 101 with the signalbell 100.

To operate the invention the user moves the hand lever 32 to bring any portion of the transparent letters 77 or either of the transparent arrows 78 or 79 opposite the' opening 52 in the door 51. The arrows 78 and 79 indicate respectively the turning of the vehicle to which signal is attached to left or right. The purpose civ-the inclined reiiectors 65 is to reflect light rays from the electric bulb 85 through the transparent numbers 61 and letters 62. c When the operator locates the hand lever 31 in its highest position, the cord 97 is released and the tension of the spring 91 causes the disk 76 to be located in its normal position as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 7.

The transparent numbers 61 and letters 62 are continuously illuminated by the .electric bulb 85.

On the sector shaped support 30 are indicated respectively at the points marked A, B, C, D, E the words Left, Right, Slow, Stop and Back. When the hand lever 32 is brought into position so that its catch engages the portions of the ratchets indicated at the said respective points, the corresponding arrows or transparent letters are brought opposite the opening 52 in the door 51. A

lVhen the operator has brought any portion of the disk 76 opposite the opening 52, he can easily operate the signal -bell 100 by pressing on the bush button 101. A battery not shown for a source of electricity can be placed at any convenient place in the body portion 20.

Having described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim is:

1. In a signal of the character described the combination of a casing, a rotative -ieflector in said casing, an opaque annular disk having transparent indications carried by said reflector, a source of illumination for said reflector and disk in said casing, a door with an opening for said casing and means to bring different portions of said disk 0pposite the'opening in said door.

'2. In a signal of the character described the combination of a casing, a reecto'r journaled in said casing, an opaque annular disk having transparent indications carried by said reflector, a source of illumination in front of said reflector, a bracket in said casing, asleeve journaled 'in said bracket with one end connected to said reflector, a bevel gear fastened to the other end of said sleeve, a second bevel gear having a tubular portion and meshing with the other bevel gear, a spindle journaled in said bracket and having fastened to one end thereof the second bevel gear, a pin extending from 'said bracket, a spring in said tubular portion with one end fastened to said pin and the other end 'fastened to said tubular porti0n, a drum on said spindle, and a cord with a portion thereof Wound around said drum.

3.' The combination in'a vehicle of a signal, comprising a casing, a door with an opening for said casing a reector journaled in the casing, a disk with transparent indications carried by said reflector, a source of illumination in front of said reflector, a spring coacting with said reflector to normally maintain it in a predetermined position relatively to the opening in said door, a drum coacting with said reflector and a cord with a portion thereof wound around said drum, and one end fastened thereto.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan in the county of New York and State of New York this 4th day of May A. D. 1915.

CARL FREDERICH GROMANN. lVitnesses:

A. A. DE BONNEVILLE, CHARLES A. CASE. 

